The 12 point (or more that 12 points?) Park tool for two bolt posts works much better than the Campagnolo tool. I have both but the Park let me do small bites between the rear rails quite easily. The 6 point Campagnolo tool doesn't allow a reposition in such a narrow space, but more points on the Park allow you to reposition after only 12 deg or so of turn.
I also have a Sears Craftsman racheted wrench with an offset head that fit perfectly underneath the saddle and looks like it would be perfect, but there aren't enough internal detents in the rachet mechanism to allow a fine an adjustment as the plain Park tool allows. In other words I turn the bolt and then rachet back the wrench but find that with wrench between the rails, it won't go far enough to catch another rachet tooth.
The Sears tool in the link is nicer than the one I have so it probably has finer rachet detents and looks like the ideal tool. The flexible head allows it to fit just as well for loosening as tightening.
On the other hand, the Campagnolo tool is just fine if you lift up the flap on a Brooks and adjust bolts from the side. I find myself unwilling to do that with my Brooks Pros as they get set in their shape and seem not to like being pushed around like that. And it doesn't work for a Concor or Turbo with less flexible sides.
Besides, once a bike is set up with post and saddle at proper angle years and years can go by with no need to touch wrench to post bolts.
Mitch Harris Little Rock Canyon, Utah, USA
On Tue, Oct 14, 2008 at 4:55 PM, Raymond Dobbins
<raydobbins2003@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> Like Phil, I've been using a 12 point 10mm offset box wrench for years, and
> it works OK, (definitely better than the dedicated Campy wrench, which is
> useless IMHO), but still not great.
>
> Several people have previously mentioned using a flex-head ratcheting box w
> rench, and it sure sounds like that would be the ideal tool for the Record
> post. I've tracked one down from Sears, but before I order it, I was w
> ondering if there are better choices. This is the one from Sears:
>
> http://www.sears.com/
>
> Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
>
> Ray Dobbins
> Miami Florida USA
>
>
> --- On Mon, 10/13/08, Phil Brown <philcycles@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>
> From: Phil Brown <philcycles@sbcglobal.net>
> Subject: Re: [CR]Putting the Record seatpost on a diet
> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Date: Monday, October 13, 2008, 11:39 PM
>
> On Oct 13, 2008, at 6:20 PM, Jerome & Elizabeth Moos wrote:
>
>> Personally, I never particularly liked the Record two-bolt post or its
>
>> clon
>> es. They are a real pain to install a saddle on, what with reaching
>
>> unde
>> r the saddle with the wrench and all. I much prefer the Simplex
> post
>> or
>> a Brooks seat clamp or a one bolt later Campy post, where the bolts
>> are act
>> ually accessible. The one thing you can say for a Campy Record post
>
>> is t
>> hat once you have the saddle properly installed, you can make tiny
>> adjustme
>> nts, thus its moniker as "microadjusting". I guess one theory
> about
>
>> the
>> popularity of the Record post In The Day is the same as for a
> lot of
>> other Campy gear, i.e. it was what Eddy Merckx used. Eddy, of
> course,
>> pr
>> obably because of his back problems, was constantly messing with
> his
>> sad
>> dle position, so the micro adjusting Campy post was perfect for him,
>
>> his po
>> or mechanics, of course, having had the task of setting the damn thing
>
>> up i
>> n the first place.
>>
>
> I've been using a Snap On 12 point 10mm offset box wrench for years and
>
> never have a problem.
> Phil Brown
> Nice tonight in Berkeley, Calif.